The morning class bell rang. Juhee squirmed as she walked to class, adjusting her oversized backpack which dwarfed her; she was small even for a ten-year-old. Arriving at the door of her classroom, Juhee paused nervously. Having recently moved to the neighborhood, she had just transferred to this school. Fears of unfamiliarity and friendlessness weighed down on her like the ton of books she carried in her backpack.

Pushing up her glasses which kept slipping uncooperatively down her nose, Juhee walked into the classroom. Her heart sank a little as she saw her classmates already gathered in bunches and cliques, chatting happily. She spotted an empty desk in the corner and headed for it, relieved that she didn’t have to sit in the front or middle of the classroom. Unpacking her bag quietly, Juhee suddenly felt the curious gaze of a boy sitting next to her. She looked up at him.

“Hi, are you—”
“Hey! You’re the other new transfer right?” Two boys appeared in front of her desk, cutting off the boy-sitting-next-to-her.
“Huh? Other..? I mean yes, I’m new,” replied Juhee, slightly confused.
“Why do you wear your glasses like an old lady? How strange!” The boys chuckled. 

Juhee felt her chest tighten at the unexpected remark. “They just won’t stay, it’s not my fault!” she exclaimed, pushing her glasses back up. She immediately regretted not having a wittier reply. “That was such a lame response,” she thought, cringing inwardly. “They just won’t stay, it’s not my fault~” the annoying boys mimicked her, laughing again. 

“Hey, can you tell what this is?” Annoying #1 put up two fingers. 
Juhee rolled her eyes. “Two. Duh.” 
“Well how about now?” Before Juhee could react, Annoying #2 had snatched her glasses off her face.
“Hey! Give it back—” Juhee reached for her glasses, but someone had already grabbed Annoying #2’s arm. Juhee looked up. 

It was boy-sitting-next-to-her, except he was now boy-standing-next-to-her. He tightened his grip on Annoying #2’s arm, making him wince. He stared Annoying #2 down with an intense look of disapproval. Juhee noticed that his eyes seemed oddly small and big at the same time, and he had a really long nose. 

Boy-standing-next-to-her looked from the glasses to Juhee’s table, jerking his head slightly. Annoying #2 returned Juhee’s glasses reluctantly, slinking away with his accomplice. Juhee saw that there were red grip marks on his arm. She glanced apprehensively at the inflictor of said marks, although she was obliged to him for chasing away the bullies.

“I’m Tao,” said the boy, smiling shyly and scratching his head. Juhee was surprised at how different he looked now. “I’m a transfer too. Want to get lunch together later?” Juhee nodded, still baffled by the sudden transformation.

*

The lunch bell rang. Juhee put her books away. “Woohoohoo I can’t wait to get food!” Tao said gleefully, waving his hands. Juhee stared.

They walked out of the classroom together towards the canteen. Suddenly, a cockroach skittered across the hall towards them. Tao let out a bloodcurdling scream which caused Juhee to jump out of her skin. “Is this boy really the same person who stood up for me just now?” She wondered. “I think this is the beginning of an… interesting friendship.”

A/N: The End~ Did you guys like the writing style? Did you like the non-Luhan-ness /if you've read my other stories/? Comment~